[Peace-discuss] Fwd: FCNL: Legislative Action Message (11/14/02)

Mon Nov 18 16:35:45 CST 2002

>
>FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE - November 14, 2002
>
>UN RESOLUTION SLOWS U.S. RUSH TO WAR ON IRAQ:  On Friday, November 8, the UN
>Security Council (UNSC) unanimously approved resolution 1441, calling for
>the resumption of UN weapons inspections in Iraq and pressing for full Iraqi
>compliance.  On November 13, the government of Iraq sent a letter to the UN
>Secretary General accepting the resolution and opening the way for the
>return of weapons inspectors by November 18.  Under the resolution, Iraq is
>required to submit a full account of its weapons stockpiles, facilities, and
>capabilities by December 8.  UN weapons inspectors are required to report
>back their findings from on-the-ground inspections to the Security Council
>by February 21.
>
>Many who oppose an expanded war with Iraq have expressed disappointment with
>the UNSC resolution, saying that other governments have simply caved in to
>the coercive tactics of the U.S. government.  They are concerned that the
>resolution still permits the U.S. to take unilateral military action, and
>that the UNSC has simply aided the U.S. government in its rush to war.
>
>We at FCNL suggest a different view.  First, we believe the UNSC resolution
>will help to slow the rush to war, and the UNMOVIC weapons inspection
>process may provide an opportunity for the Bush administration to back down
>from its war rhetoric in the future.  The resolution does not provide a
>blank check for war.  In fact, it places some positive new political
>constraints on the U.S.  By most accounts, the U.S. made a good faith effort
>to engage the UNSC and to achieve unity on the resolution.  It will entail
>significant political costs for the U.S. to abandon this effort and level of
>international unity.  Second, although the resolution reflects compromises
>by France and Russia, the U.S. made significant compromises, as well.  The
>resolution focuses on disarmament instead of regime change, and many
>troubling, unworkable provisions from earlier U.S. drafts were dropped or
>softened.   Finally, the administration has done, in part, what the majority
>of people across the country and governments around the world wanted it to
>do: It went to the UNSC; it is supporting the resumption of weapons
>inspections; and it is abiding, thus far, by the terms of the UN Charter.
>
>ACTION: War is not inevitable.  It can still be prevented by growing popular
>opposition, by increasing congressional opposition, and through
>international pressure.  Please contact your Members of Congress.  Urge them
>to contact the President and commend him for taking this matter to the UNSC.
>The President must be urged to give every opportunity for the UNMOVIC
>mission to be completed successfully without resort to war and to exercise
>maximum restraint when Iraq tests the limits of international resolve (as it
>will). The President should be implored not to jeopardize this historic
>moment of international unity in an intemperate rush to war.  Finally, the
>President should be reminded that he has no mandate for war either at home
>or abroad, but that he has strong support for leading cooperative,
>international disarmament efforts.
>
>Send letters to your Members of Congress:  Start with the sample letter
>posted in our Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then
>email or fax your message directly from our site.  You can also print it out
>and mail it.  To view the sample letter, click on the link below, then enter
>your zip code and click <Go> in the <Take Action Now> box.
>Here is the link:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=936506&type=CO
>
>BACKGROUND: U.S. public opinion has played a critical role in constraining
>the Bush Administration and in moving this issue back to where it belongs-at
>the UNSC.  The community-based movement for peace across the U.S. worked
>effectively to achieve this outcome.  But of course, this story is only just
>beginning, and our work to prevent war with Iraq may not end for many
>months.
>
>The way in which the UNSC Resolution 1441 is interpreted over the coming
>weeks will shape the U.S. Administration's response to any possible
>difficulties or violations that arise in the weapons inspections process.
>The Bush Administration claims the resolution enhances the U.S. mandate for
>possible unilateral military action against Iraq should the UN weapons
>inspections encounter any resistance from Saddam Hussein.  However, all
>fourteen other members of the UNSC have affirmed that the resolution is not
>a declaration of war, but first and foremost an expression of collective
>international will to disarm Iraq through UN weapons inspections.
>
>Resolution 1441 has shifted the debate on action against Iraq in three
>significant ways.  1.)  The debate on the resolution demonstrated clearly
>that the international community opposes the Bush Administration's policy of
>regime change through war against Iraq.  The resolution focuses specifically
>on weapons of mass destruction and does not threaten regime change.  2.)
>The resolution opens the way for renewed UN weapons inspections to disarm
>Iraq, creating an alternative to war which the international community is
>strongly behind.  3.)  The resolution places the issue back in the hands of
>the Security Council, requiring all Council Members to meet again in a
>second session to consider any possible violations by Iraq, as reported by
>UN weapons inspectors.
>
>After eight weeks of intensive multilateral negotiations, the U.S. agreed to
>significant compromises from its original resolution text threatening war
>against Iraq.  The resolution does threaten "serious consequences" against
>Iraq should it further violate the UN's call for disarmament, and still
>contains reference to Iraq being in "material breach" of UN resolutions.
>However, during negotiations Member States were repeatedly reassured by the
>U.S. in negotiations that such language would not be used as a "hidden
>trigger" for launching unilateral war.
>
>Some in the Bush Administration continue to claim that the U.S. has the
>right to act unilaterally if it sees fit and that its "hands will not be
>tied" by the UN.  However, to act outside Resolution 1441 now will be at an
>unwelcome political cost to the U.S.  Much will still depend on Iraq's
>willingness, however reluctant, to comply with the inspections, but the
>resolution sends a strong message to the Iraqi regime that the international
>community is united in its resolve to disarm Iraq.  It also sends a strong
>message to the U.S. to let weapons inspections proceed and to stay engaged
>multilaterally through the UN however the process unfolds in the weeks and
>months ahead.
>
>
>For a full text (in pdf format) of the UNSC Resolution 1441 go to
>http://www.un.org/Docs/scres/2002/sc2002.htm.
>
>CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
>
>Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276
>
>Sen. ________
>U.S. Senate
>Washington, DC 20510
>
>Rep. ________
>U.S. House of Representatives
>Washington, DC 20515
>
>Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdi
>r
>
>CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION
>
>White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111
>FAX: 202-456-2461
>E-MAIL: president at whitehouse.gov
>WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov
>
>President George W. Bush
>The White House
>Washington, DC 20500
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>We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
>We seek a society with equity and justice for all
>We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
>We seek an earth restored...